Suffix -ing Worksheets

About These 15 Worksheets

These worksheets are designed to help students understand how to use the “-ing” suffix correctly-forming present participles for ongoing actions, using gerunds as nouns, and turning verbs into adjectives (participles). They include spelling rule practice (like doubling final consonants or dropping final e) and varied usage contexts so students don’t just memorize forms but apply them in real sentences. The variety of tasks (rewriting, matching, picture description, review) helps learners at different levels build accuracy and confidence.

The collection scaffolds skills: students begin with forming “-ing” forms, move into placing them correctly in sentences or as nouns/adjectives, then into producing their own “-ing” usage in picture descriptions or creative prompts. Error detection and checkbox-activities help reinforce what is correct and what common mistakes look like. Overall, these worksheets aim to make the “-ing” suffix familiar, automatic, and flexible in use.

Have a Look Inside Each Worksheet

Word + Suffix
Students start with base verbs and add the “-ing” suffix correctly to form present participles. They also consider spelling changes like doubling consonants or dropping final e when needed. This builds their foundation for using “-ing” forms in verbs.

Placement and Usage
Learners practice placing “-ing” verbs in sentences, especially in present continuous tense (e.g. He is running, They are dancing). They also see when “-ing” forms serve as gerunds (noun-like), verbs, or participles (adjective-like). This helps clarify how usage depends on sentence context.

Word Changing
This activity shows base verbs that need spelling adjustments before adding “-ing” (for example run → running, make → making). Students practice noticing and applying those spelling rules. It strengthens both pattern knowledge and accuracy.

Second Sentence
Here students rewrite or complete a second sentence using an “-ing” form, often transforming a simple sentence into a continuous tense one. This gives hands-on practice with modifying sentences. It also highlights how meaning shifts when using “-ing.”

Matching Meaning
Learners match base verbs with their “-ing” forms or match “-ing” participial phrases to meanings or pictures. This draws connections between form, meaning, and usage. It supports vocabulary growth as well as grammar.

New -ing Words
Students are given a bunch of base verbs and asked to create new “-ing” versions for each. They use those forms in sentences or other prompts. This boosts confidence in forming and using “-ing” verbs independently.

Picture Description
Learners describe pictures using verbs with “-ing” (e.g., The cat is sleeping, The children are playing). This connects visual context to grammar usage. It helps with both speaking/writing fluency and descriptive language.

New Word
This sheet gives base verbs and has students generate one or more “-ing” forms they haven’t seen before. Sometimes there are creative prompts to use the new forms in original sentences. This encourages flexibility and vocabulary expansion.

Adding Suffixes
This worksheet drills adding “-ing” to verbs, covering standard and irregular spelling changes (e.g. doubling final consonants, dropping final e, etc.). Students fill in blanks or choose correct forms. Repetition here helps accuracy.

Expressing Action
Here the focus is on expressing ongoing actions-what is happening right now-using “-ing” forms in context. Students transform or complete sentences into present continuous tense. It strengthens their ability to use “-ing” for actions in progress.

Checkbox Thoughts
Learners check off or mark sentences that correctly use “-ing” forms and identify those that are incorrect or not appropriate. This promotes critical evaluation of usage. It helps them internalize correct forms through error detection.

Verbs to Nouns
This worksheet shows how some “-ing” forms function as nouns (gerunds), e.g. Swimming is fun. Students practice using “-ing” both as verbs and as gerunds. It clarifies the shifting roles of “-ing” forms.

Add to Root Words
Students take root verbs and apply “-ing,” making sure they observe any spelling modifications. They may also write sentences or do matching. This reinforces correct formation of “-ing” forms.

-ing Review Sheet
This is a cumulative review of “-ing” usage: forming the suffix, spelling rules, using it in tenses, participles, gerunds. Questions are varied to cover everything previously practiced. It helps consolidate learning.

Complete the Sentence
Learners are given sentences with missing verbs and must supply the correct “-ing” form based on context and tense. Sometimes there are distractors (other verb forms) to choose from. This ensures understanding of where “-ing” belongs grammatically.

What Is the “-ing” Suffix?

The suffix “-ing” is added to base verbs to form words that describe ongoing action (present participle), function as nouns (gerunds), or serve as adjectives (participles). For example: run → running (an action happening now), swim → swimming (as a noun: Swimming is fun), paint → painting (as adjective: the painting artist). Spelling changes often accompany “-ing”: doubling final consonants (e.g. run → running, sit → sitting), dropping final e (e.g. make → making), or changing ie to y (e.g. lie → lying).

Here are more examples: jump → jumping, hike → hiking, carry → carrying, stop → stopping, dance → dancing, write → writing, lie → lying, swim → swimming, play → playing, enjoy → enjoying. Some “-ing” forms become gerunds when they act as nouns: Reading is relaxing, Jogging helps my health. As participles (used adjectivally): The crying baby, a boiling pot, frozen food, a growing child.

Understanding “-ing” is important because it lets learners express actions in progress, talk about habits and preferences, use verbs as nouns or adjectives, and vary their sentence structure. Regular practice with “-ing” makes writing more expressive (“She is dancing”, “Swimming is fun”), reading smoother (recognizing “-ing” forms in texts), and grammar use more accurate (knowing when spelling changes or which role the “-ing” word is playing).

List of Suffix -ing

Baking
Boating
Camping
Cleaning
Climbing
Cooking
Cycling
Dancing
Eating
Editing
Exercising
Exploring
Fighting
Filming
Fishing
Flying
Gardening
Hammering
Hiking
Hunting
Jumping
Laughing
Navigating
Painting
Playing
Quilting
Racing
Reading
Rowing
Running
Sailing
Sculpting
Sculpting
Shopping
Singeing
Singing
Skiing
Skipping
Sleeping
Sleeping
Studying
Swimming
Talking
Texting
Traveling
Watching
Weaving
Woodworking
Working
Writing